


Return to Me

by soapficgal



Category: Days of Our Lives
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-01-16
Updated: 2016-01-15
Packaged: 2018-05-14 05:47:45
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,462
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5731678
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/soapficgal/pseuds/soapficgal
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Three couples find their way back to love again.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

Looking out the window he knew this wasn’t what he wanted to be doing. He’d locked Salem out of his mind for so very long already that the very idea of returning brought chills up and down his spine. The last time he’d been in town it had spelled disaster, but this spontaneous return would be even worse. He knew that things weren’t ever going to be the same again and in burying his mother, he realized that there was no avoiding the inevitable misery that would follow.

“Your drink sir,” the first class flight attendant returned with a glass in hand.

“Thank you,” he replied reaching for his drink.

“Can I get you anything else?” she questioned eager to help him through this painful journey back home.

“No thank you,” he answered turning his attention to the message he’d received earlier in the day. Ignoring it hadn’t made it any less real no matter now that he was on a flight that would undoubtedly leave him burying a huge part of his past forever.

****************

“I can’t do this,” Taylor blurted out behind trembling hands. She felt EJ step in behind her, sliding his arms around her waist to embrace her.

“Yes,” he whispered soothingly behind her ear, “yes you can. You will go to your mother’s memorial and be the strong, amazing woman I’ve always known you to be.”

“No,” she replied behind tears. “I can’t do this EJ. I wish that I could, but in going there, it’s only going to prove that she’s really gone. It only serves to remind me how I failed her--how I failed myself and my family.”

“You haven’t failed anyone,” EJ coaxed her around to face him fully. He curled his finger underneath her chin, urging her to meet his eyes for the first time since they’d snuck off into one of the rooms in the Dimera mansion to get away from the craziness. Now that they were alone with one another, his heart ached for the woman who had truly captivated him not so long ago. “I know how much your mother meant to you.”

“It didn’t stop me from ignoring her,” she refused to accept his comfort. Pulling out of his embrace she wrapped her arms around herself tightly, “I was so caught up in us that…”

“Don’t,” he reached out to her again, pulling her in against his chest. Stroking the side of her face, he half pleaded with her, “don’t take away from what we have with one another. Don’t spoil it by blaming what happened to your mother on what’s happening between us. Your mother would want for you to be happy.”

“My mother would want our family to be together,” she sobbed unable to hold herself together. “All she ever wanted was peace for her children, but look at us. We’re all at odds with everything in our lives and now with her gone, we’ll never be whole again.”

“Yes you will my dear,” he squeezed his arms around her tightly.

“No we won’t and I feel as if it’s my fault for not doing the right thing--for not walking away when I should’ve stepped aside to allow Nicole to be happy,” she blurted out behind a cascade of tears. “I knew better then to do this, yet…”

“Nicole knew what she was getting herself into when this began,” he murmured kissing the top of her head in a tender press of his lips to her soft hair. “She and I had an arrangement…”

“But she thinks she’s falling in love with you EJ. She believes that you can be happy together and now with our mother gone, the last thing I want to do is take away what little stability she has left in her life,” she cried out, feeling guilt eat away at her.

“I don’t intend to rip that away from her, not now, but at the same time Taylor you can’t expect me to walk away from you when all I want is to wrap you up in my arms and take you away from this,” he confessed in an impassioned tone. “I love you and as wrong as it is for me to feel that way, I can’t shut it off. I know I promised you that I would stay away, but I’m not going to be able to ignore my heart any longer. To do so would be the death of me…”

“EJ,” she gasped feeling his fingers slide into her silken tresses. Her eyes widened, lips parted in anticipation and just as his lips found hers she knew that she couldn’t escape her heart any longer. Right or wrong being with EJ was the only time she truly felt alive and at ease with herself. Wrapping her arms around his shoulders she gave herself to the kiss knowing full well that she was going to burn for her thoughts about her sister’s husband.

****************

Nicole hung up her cell phone knowing full well that there were still plenty of arrangements to be made. While she hadn’t wanted to dwell on the fact that she’d been burying herself in doing her best to provide Faye with a proper burial, it was her way of coping with the reality that her mother was gone. Just when she had finally found herself at the center of a functional family, it seemed fate had other, more treacherous plans for her.

“Oh mom,” Nicole whispered under her breath thinking about the years she had stolen from her, “how could this happen? How could I lose you now?”

Feeling the winds pick up around her, Nicole wrapped her coat tightly around herself. Although she knew she should get back home to check in on Sydney and Johnny, there was something inside of her that couldn’t return to the place where her mother’s world had crumbled to pieces. Yes, there was so much she still needed to take care of, but right now she needed clarity. She wasn’t going to find that within the walls of the Dimera mansion. That much she was certain of as she headed to the pier ready to immerse herself in her thoughts free from any expectations of her.

Walking over to one of the benches near the water, Nicole couldn’t help but crumble to pieces. She sank down on the metal seat feeling an ache carry over her in knowing that there would never be that life she’d longed for. She would never have that ‘perfect family’ she’d always hoped for as a child. It was a fleeting dream that had evaded her for most of her youth and now with her mother gone there would be no making up for it. There would be no second chances. All that remained was an untouchable ideal and the broken pieces of the life Nicole had surrounded herself with.

“Stop feeling sorry for yourself Nicole,” she cursed hoping to push her priorities in order. Standing up, she prepared to return to the Dimera mansion again when she found herself face to face with the last person she anticipated seeing on a night like this one.

“Brady,” she whispered surprised to see him standing before her. Although he’d been cold and dismissive with her since they’d parted ways, she could see there was something different behind his eyes--something she’d once embraced readily. It was the key to his heart that she’d once lost herself in time and time again before time tore them to pieces. However, in knowing how much he’d been angry with her, she refused to give in to what her hopes were holding onto in seeing the expression on his face. She stood up taller, wiping at her face in a small attempt to hide her tears, “what are you doing out here?”

“Looking for you,” he replied catching her completely off guard with the warmth of his arms surrounding her.

While no other words were spoken, Nicole buried her face in his powerful chest remembering all the other times he’d held her. She could recall the many moments when he’d attempted to pull her from her misery, but tonight being miserable was what she felt she deserved. It was what she needed until Brady arrived and reminded her with his strong embrace that being alone was the last thing she needed on this night.

****************

“Brandon, hey…it’s Sami. Please call me when you get this message,” Sami hung up the phone knowing only too well that she shouldn’t be making the call again. She’d tried a few times earlier in the day with no response, yet as she thought of the man she’d once been married to, she knew that his heart had to be breaking.

Although Faye Walker had never approved of their relationship with one another, Sami couldn’t ignore the pain Brandon must be experiencing in losing his mother. She was well aware of the love that Brandon had felt for the woman that raised him. It was a strong bond between mother and son and in remembering what Sami had experienced when she believed her parents had died in the past, she couldn’t help but wish she could do more for Brandon. Yes, he’d closed her off from his life for years, but it wasn’t important. What mattered was being there for him in his time of need.

“I should go check on Taylor,” Sami decided thinking of the sister that didn’t despise her from the Walker family. She reached for her jacket and opened the door preparing to pay a visit to her former sister-in-law when she spotted her husband standing in the hallway hunched over with a sneer.

“Sami,” he spat her name out, his voice laced with alcohol as he stood before her, “you’re leaving. What a surprise.”

“Rafe,” she gasped bringing her hand over her chest in an attempt to respond to her surprise, “I thought you were at work.”

“I didn’t feel like going,” he pushed past her, making his way into the living room. He walked over to the couch and slumped down on it, spreading his arms out over the back of the fabric, “It was a bore, so I went for a sick day.”

“A sick day,” she repeated turning around to approach him, “Rafe, are you sure that’s such a good idea? I know how much you wanted to return to your job and…”

“The job sucks Sami,” Rafe raised his head up just enough to meet her surprised eyes, “and so does everything surrounding it.”

“Maybe you went back too soon,” she suggested sliding onto the couch beside him. Reaching out to touch his forehead she let out a breath, “Perhaps you were rushing it. If you go back to the hospital maybe we can talk with Carly and…”

“I’m not going back to the hospital,” he snarled smacking her hand away from him.

“Rafe, if you’re not feeling well…” she began confused by his approach.

“The only thing not making me feel well is you,” he glared at her, “considering that all you do is nag and whine about the things I’m not doing right in your life.”

“That’s not true,” she argued curling her lip in protest, “Rafe you know how I feel about you and…”

“Actually no, I really don’t,” he tipped his head to the side and gave her a long once over, “You haven’t been up to proving it lately. All you do is nag and complain.”

“I’m not trying to. I’m just worried about what’s happening with you. You haven’t been yourself in a very long time and…” she watched him stand up, brushing past her to head over to the door. “Rafe, where are you going?”

“I don’t need this,” he grumbled walking out of the front door and leaving her with a new sense of emptiness now that the husband she knew and loved had proven he wasn’t the same man. Now as she reached for a pillow she succumbed to her tears realizing that happily ever after wasn’t at all what it was cracked up to be!


	2. Chapter 2

  
Nicole closed her eyes tightly wishing like hell she could wake up from the nightmare her life had become. Although she had hoped to find peace and tranquility in her new life with EJ, all she had managed to do was delude herself about what was really happening before her. She hadn’t given real weight to what was happening with her mother’s heart. It hadn’t been as much of a priority as it should’ve been, but now with Brady’s arms surrounding her, she wished she could repent for her sins. She wished she could take back all the horrible things she’d said and done, but now she knew she couldn’t.  
  
“Talk to me Nicole,” he whispered squeezing her tighter in his arms. “Don’t hold it all in.”  
  
“I don’t know where to begin,” she confessed crumbling to pieces his in arms, “I thought that I could do this, but I can’t Brady. I can’t pretend that I’m not feeling this guilt…”  
  
“Over what?” he asked touching the side of her face. He coaxed her into meeting his concerned eyes.  
  
“I hated her so much Brady,” she whimpered trembling in his arms. “For so many years I wanted to make her suffer for the way that she turned a blind eye to what Paul did to me. When I think of the nights I wished that she would drop dead I feel as if somehow that built up over the years when…”  
  
“What you felt as a child didn’t make this happen Nicole,” Brady dismissed her words. “You were hurt by your father’s betrayal and the last thing you wanted was to take it out on your mother. She knew why you felt the way you did and…”  
  
“I treated her horrible for so many years Brady,” she shuddered remembering all her fights with Faye. “I said so many awful things that I never apologized for and now…”  
  
“She knows Nicole,” Brady wrapped her up tighter then before, “She knew how hard life was for you with Paul.”  
  
“When he died I was glad the son of a bitch was gone,” she confessed in a hollow, broken tone. “When I think of the awful things that he did to me--of the ways he violated my youth and turned me into something I didn’t want to be…”  
  
“It’s okay,” he mouthed hugging her tighter then before.  
  
“No, it’s not okay Brady. It’ll never be okay again because I can’t ever make up for all we lost. She and I were finally coming around to having a relationship with one another, but I lost it. I missed out on my family and now I’ll never have it back again.”  
  
****************  
  
Taylor’s head was spinning, her head pounding in her chest now that EJ’s kisses surrounded her. She melted when he EJ picked her up and carried her over to the center of the bed in the guest room. At first she felt hesitant, reluctant to give in to her emotions, but now with his lips upon her, hands caressing her in all the ways she’d dreamt about, she couldn’t help but find herself lost in him.  
  
“I love you Taylor,” EJ whispered touching the side of her face. His thumb pressed over her bottom lip, tracing the contours of her face in a slow, drawn out movement.  
  
“I love you,” she revealed knowing her words would betray the loyalty to her family, yet with EJ’s arms surrounding her, she knew she couldn’t turn away. “I wish that I didn’t, but I do. I love you so very much.”  
  
Closing her eyes her head sank back into the pillows feeling their warmth surround her. She felt his kisses taper off over her neck, hands roaming over her body, bringing her to a moment of longing and anticipation. She whimpered, bringing her fingers over his wrist when he reached for the buttons on her blouse.  
  
“Stop,” she breathed heavily, knowing full well that it was futile to hide from her feelings. She reopened her eyes to see the confusion burning behind his dark gaze.  
  
“Taylor I know that we discussed the complications involved in being together, but…” he dipped down to kiss her again, “I want it all. I need you and I know you need me too.”  
  
“I don’t want to be an affair for you EJ,” she revealed nervously now that butterflies were dancing in her stomach. “I don’t want to be someone who passes through your life in an instant only to be discarded when the thrill is gone.”  
  
“I don’t want that for us either,” he mouthed in between kiss after savory kiss, “I want it all Taylor.”  
  
“All,” she repeated tearing herself away from him.  
  
“I don’t want to live a lie any longer,” he continued to reveal to her, “I know neither one of us want to see Nicole hurt, but I can’t pretend that I can be content in my situation with her when it’s you that I want. I love you Taylor and only you.”  
  
“Oh EJ,” she threw her arms around him knowing only too well that they were entering into dangerous territory with one another. However, her body betrayed her once her hands found their way underneath his shirt. She pulled it up over his body, longing to feel the warmth of him over her, pressed up against her in ways she’d sworn off until now.   
  
Gasping she felt him pull away just enough to discard his shirt. Her greedy eyes traveled over the muscular planes of his chest thinking of all the ways in which she’d fantasized about him since their first meeting. Now with his hands upon her, his kisses driving her to distraction she realized that it all paled on comparison to the real thing. It was too much, too strong to ignore now that he lay over her, his body bringing out so many thoughts she’d fought to repress.  
  
“Make love to me EJ,” she her words buzzed against his lips knowing only too well that they were something she could never take back now that they were about to cross the line with one another and bring about an end to the longing between them.  
  
****************  
  
Sami sank onto the sofa feeling sorry for herself in more ways than she wanted to admit. Rafe hadn’t been himself for a very long time. As much as she’d tried to believe he could return to himself, she knew that was a pipe dream that was long gone from her life. He was darker now devoid of all the kindness that had drawn her to him in the first place. He was in essence a different man--one who terrified her.  
  
Wrapping her arms around herself, she closed her eyes thinking about the violent demeanor that had overtaken him since the accident. When they’d made love, he’d been rough with her, hurting her more than she dared speak about and now, well, now that he was treating her as if she was irrelevant, she couldn’t help but be lost in a sea of tears. Bringing her hands up over her face she sobbed unable to hold back on the pain and anguish any longer. It was too hard--too much to face the fact that the man she loved was gone. He hadn’t been there for a very long time and it was her fault. If she hadn’t driven him away the night of the accident. If only…  
  
Her thoughts were stopped by the sound of knocking on her door. Looking up she wiped at her face trying her best to pull herself together. The last thing she wanted was for Will to see what she was going through. She needed to keep it together--needed to be strong for her family, but as she staggered to the door she knew she wasn’t fooling anyone. Taking in a breath, she felt a faint glimmer of hope that Rafe had returned ready to apologize to her, but when the door opened she found herself face to face with the one man who had been on her mind all morning.  
  
“Brandon,” she gasped her teary blue eyes widening with surprise and familiarity of her former lover.  
  
“Samantha,” he spoke her name with the same lull and concern he’d carried with him in the past only this time something had changed. Something was different, yet when he recognized the pain behind her beautiful features he stepped forward pulling her into his arms embracing her tightly without hesitation.  
  
“Oh Brandon,” she sobbed into his chest unable to hold back on her pain any longer, “my life is over.”  
  
****************


End file.
